Marasmarcha lunaedactyla
Encyclopedia
Marasmarcha lunaedactyla is a moth
of the Pterophoridae family. It is found in most of Europe
, except Ireland
and most of the Balkan Peninsula.
The wingspan
is 18-22 mm. Adults gave a moon-shaped creamy-white marking at the cleft of their brownish forewing. Adults are on wing from June to August.
The larvae feed on the flowers and young shoots of Ononis
species, including Ononis repens
, Ononis spinosa
, Ononis natrix and Ononis rotundifolia
and Ononis arvensis. Pupation takes place along a shoot or on a leaf of the food plant.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Pterophoridae family. It is found in most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, except Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and most of the Balkan Peninsula.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 18-22 mm. Adults gave a moon-shaped creamy-white marking at the cleft of their brownish forewing. Adults are on wing from June to August.
The larvae feed on the flowers and young shoots of Ononis
Ononis
Ononis is a large genus of perennial herbs and shrubs from the legume family Fabaceae. The members of this genus are often called restharrows as some species are arable weeds whose tough stems would stop the harrow...
species, including Ononis repens
Ononis repens
Ononis repens or Common Restharrow is a plant species of the genus Ononis. It is found by the shore and is also common in dry hill pastures in chalk or limestone areas. It is a prostrate woody perennial with small oval leaves. The leaves are covered in glandular hairs which give a resinous smell on...
, Ononis spinosa
Ononis spinosa
Ononis spinosa is a plant belonging to the family Fabaceae, that is commonly known as spiny restharrow or just restharrow. It is found throughout much of Europe but seldom as far north as Scotland.-External links:*...
, Ononis natrix and Ononis rotundifolia
Ononis rotundifolia
Ononis rotundifolia, commonly known as Round-leaved Restharrow, is a perennial shrub belonging to the genus Ononis of the family Fabaceae.-Description:...
and Ononis arvensis. Pupation takes place along a shoot or on a leaf of the food plant.